The present invention relates to a piece of elevator equipment, and more particularly to an elevating work platform structure for aiding the construction within an elevator room ("an elevator channel"), replacing the function provided by the conventional scaffold, in which the elevating platform structure can still be used within the elevator channel after an elevator is fully installed within the elevator channel.
The conventional method for elevator construction inside a building (such as an elevator using guide rails or guide wires) is to first construct a scaffold, or an elevating work platform, within the elevator channel that allows an construction worker to maneuver and transport equipment from floor to floor. However, the conventional scaffold not only takes a long time to build and take down after the elevator and elevator channel have finished construction, but also is relatively expensive to construct, thereby making the conventional scaffold economically inefficient.
Regardless of the construction method, the main machinery used for holding a conventional scaffold for conventional construction of an elevator is a winding machine. The winding machine guides an main suspension cable of the elevating work platform 20, as shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings. In order to maintain the balance of the elevating work platform, there are usually additional supporting suspension cables connected to the elevating work platform to guide and prevent the elevating work platform from spinning. Based on different construction conditions, the elevator guide rails that are already installed may also be used to replace the additional supporting suspension cable. Under such conditions, the elevating work platform can still be used to perform different tasks, even when the building does not yet have electrical power. A worker uses the elevating work platform to install elevator inner doors on each floor, to wire the elevator and the elevator channel, to continually remove rust from the elevator guide rails, and to install the elevator car cable and counterweight, among other tasks.
One problem with the conventional elevating work platform, especially the type that is guided by a suspension cable, is that when the worker is performing tasks while on the elevating work platform, the worker's movements may cause the elevating work platform to have a pendulum motion. The pendulum motion in turn not only affects the worker's ability to do his job, but also poses a risk to the worker of falling off the platform. Alternatively, a conventional elevating work platform that uses the elevator guide rails may not be used until the elevator guide rails have passed inspection.